Deuteronomy 20:7

Myles Coverdale Bible

Who so hath spoused a wyfe, and hath not yet brought her home, let him go, and byde at home, yt he die not in the battayll, & another brynge her home.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Has any man become engaged to a woman and not married her? Let him leave and return home. Otherwise he may die in battle and another man marry her.’

Hebrew Names Version
What man is there who has pledged to be married a wife, and has not taken her? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.

King James Version
And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.

Lexham English Bible
And who is the man who got engaged to a woman and has not married her? Let him go and let him return to his house, so that he does not die in battle and another man marries her.'

English Standard Version
And is there any man who has betrothed a wife and has not taken her? Let him go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man take her.'

New Century Version
Is any man engaged to a woman and not yet married to her? He may go home, because he might die in battle and someone else would marry her."

New English Translation
Or who among you has become engaged to a woman but has not married her? He may go home, lest he die in battle and someone else marry her."

Amplified Bible
'And who is the man who is engaged (legally promised) to a woman and has not married her? Let him go and return to his house, otherwise he might die in the battle and another man would marry her.'

New American Standard Bible
'And who is the man that is betrothed to a woman and has not married her? Let him go and return to his house, otherwise he might die in the battle and another man would marry her.'

Geneva Bible (1587)
And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and returne againe vnto his house, lest he die in the battell, and another man take her.

Legacy Standard Bible
And who is the man that is engaged to a woman and has not married her? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man marry her.'

Contemporary English Version
If any of you are engaged to be married, you may go back home and get married. It isn't right for you to die in battle and for somebody else to marry the woman you are engaged to.

Complete Jewish Bible
"‘Is there a man here who is engaged to a woman, but hasn't married her yet? He should go back home; otherwise he may die fighting, and another man will marry her.'

Darby Translation
And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.

Easy-to-Read Version
Is there any man here who is engaged to be married? That man should go back home. If he dies in the battle, another man will marry the woman he is engaged to.'

George Lamsa Translation
And what man is there who has betrothed a wife, and has not taken her? Let him return and go to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.

Good News Translation
Is there anyone here who is engaged to be married? If so, he is to go home. Otherwise, if he is killed in battle, someone else will marry the woman he is engaged to.'

Literal Translation
And who is the man who has betrothed a woman, and has not taken her? Let him go and return to his house, that he not die in the battle, and another man take her.

American Standard Version
And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.

Bible in Basic English
Or if any man is newly married and has had no sex relations with his wife, let him go back to his house, so that in the event of his death in the fight, another man may not take her.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And if any man be betrouthed vnto a wyfe, and haue not taken her: let hym go and returne agayne vnto his house, lest he dye in the battayle, and another man take her.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.'

King James Version (1611)
And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him goe and returne vnto his house, lest he die in battell, and another man take her.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And what man is he that has betrothed a wife, and has not taken her? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.

English Revised Version
And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.

Berean Standard Bible
Has any man become pledged to a woman and not married her? Let him return home, or he may die in battle and another man marry her."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Who is a man that spowside a wijf, and `took not hir `bi fleischli knowyng? go he, and turne ayen in to his hows, lest perauenture he die in batel, and anothir man take hir.

Young's Literal Translation
`And who [is] the man that hath betrothed a woman, and hath not taken her? -- let him go and turn back to his house, lest he die in battle, and another man take her.

Update Bible Version
And what man is there that has betrothed a wife, and has not taken her? let him go and return to his house, or else if he dies in the battle, another man will take her.

Webster's Bible Translation
And what man [is there] that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and return to his house, lest he should die in battle, and another man should take her.

World English Bible
What man is there who has pledged to be married a wife, and has not taken her? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.

New King James Version
And what man is there who is betrothed to a woman and has not married her? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man marry her.'

New Living Translation
Has anyone here just become engaged to a woman but not yet married her? Well, you may go home and get married! You might die in the battle, and someone else would marry her.'

New Life Bible
Is there a man who is promised in marriage to a woman and has not married her? Let him go and return to his house or he might die in the battle and another man marry her.'

New Revised Standard
Has anyone become engaged to a woman but not yet married her? He should go back to his house, or he might die in the battle and another marry her."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And who is the man that hath betrothed a wife and hath not taken her? let him go and return unto his house, - lest he die in the battle, and, another man, take her.

Douay-Rheims Bible
What man is there, that hath espoused a wife, and not taken her? let him go, and return to his house, lest he die in the war, and another man take her.

Revised Standard Version
And what man is there that has betrothed a wife and has not taken her? Let him go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man take her.'

New American Standard Bible (1995)
'And who is the man that is engaged to a woman and has not married her? Let him depart and return to his house, otherwise he might die in the battle and another man would marry her.'

Contextual Overview

¹ Whan thou goest out to battayll agaynst thine enemies, and seyst horses and charettes of the people more then thou, be not afrayed of them: for the LORDE thy God which brought ye out of the londe of Egipte, is with the. ² Now wha ye are come nye vnto the battayll, the prest shal steppe forth, & speake to the people, ³ and saye vnto the: Heare Israel: Ye go this daye in to the battayll agaynst youre enemies, let not yor hert faynte. Feare not, be not afrayed, ner a drede of them. ⁴ For the LORDE youre God goeth with you, to fyghte for you agaynst youre enemies, yt he maye saue you. ⁵ And the captaynes shal speake to ye people, and saye: Who so hath buylded a new house, and hath not dedicate it, let him go, and byde in his house, that he dye not in ye battayll, and another dedicate it. ⁶ Who so hath planted a vynyarde, and hath not yet made it comen, lett him go, and byde at home, that he dye not in the battayll, and another make it comen. ⁷ Who so hath spoused a wyfe, and hath not yet brought her home, let him go, and byde at home, yt he die not in the battayll, & another brynge her home. ⁸ And the captaines shal speake further vnto the people, and saye: He that feareth and hath a faynte hert, lett him go, and byde at home, that he make not his brethrens hert fainte also, like as his hert is. ⁹ And whan the captaynes haue made an ende of speakinge vnto the people, they shall set the rulers of the hoost before the people in the fore fronte.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

betrothed a wife: It was customary among the Jews to contract matrimony, espouse, or betroth, and for a considerable time to leave the parties in the houses of the respective parents; and when the bridegroom had made proper preparations, then the bride was brought home to his house, and the marriage consummated. The provisions in this verse refer to a case of this kind; though the Jews extend it to him who had newly consummated his marriage, and even to him who had married his brother's wife. It was deemed a peculiar hardship for a person to be obliged to go to battle, who had left a house unfinished, newly purchased land half tilled, or a wife with whom he had just contracted marriage. Deuteronomy 22:23-25, Deuteronomy 24:5, Matthew 1:18

lest he die: Deuteronomy 28:30, Luke 14:18-20, 2 Timothy 2:4

Reciprocal: Exodus 21:8 - who hath

Cross-References

Genesis 2:17
But of ye tre of knowlege of good and euell, shalt thou not eate. For loke in what daye so euer thou eatest therof, thou shalt dye the death.

Genesis 12:15
& Pharaos prynces sawe her also, & praysed her before him. Then was she brought in to Pharaos house,

Genesis 12:17
But ye LORDE plaged Pharao & his house wt greate plages, because of Sarai Abras wife.

Genesis 20:1
As for Abraham, he departed thence, into the south countre, and dwelt betwixte Cades and Sur, and was a straunger at Gerar,

Genesis 20:2
and sayde of Sara his wife: She is my sister. Then Abimelech the kinge of Gerar sent for her, and caused her be fett awaye.

Genesis 20:3
But God came to Abimelech by night in a dreame, & sayde vnto him: Beholde, thou art but a deed man, for the womans sake which thou hast taken, for she is a mans wife.

Genesis 20:4
Neuertheles Abimelech had not yet touched her, and sayde: LORDE, wilt thou sley a righteous people?

Genesis 20:5
Sayde not he vnto me: she is my sister? Yee and sayde not she her self also: he is my brother? With a pure hert & with innocent handes haue I done this.

Genesis 20:6
And God sayde vnto him in a dreame: I knowe that thou dyddest it wt a pure hert, and therfore I kepte the, that thou shuldest not synne agaynst me, nether haue I suffred the to touch her.

Genesis 20:9
and Abimelech called Abraham, and sayde vnto him: Wherfore hast thou done this vnto vs? And what haue I offended ye, that thou shuldest brynge on me and on my kyngdome so greate a synne? Thou hast not dealt with vs, as a man shulde deale.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her?.... Home to his house and bedded with her; has only betrothed her, but is not properly married to her, the nuptials are not completed; this the Jews understand of anyone betrothed to him, whether a virgin or a widow, or the wife of a deceased brother (yea, they say, if his brother is dead in war, he returns and comes home), but not of a former wife divorced and received again m:

let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in battle, and another man take her; or marry her.

m Misn. Sotah, ib. sect. 2.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Deuteronomy 20:7. Betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? — It was customary among the Jews to contract matrimony, espouse or betroth, and for some considerable time to leave the parties in the houses of their respective parents: when the bridegroom had made proper preparations, then the bride was brought home to his house, and thus the marriage was consummated. The provisions in this verse refer to a case of this kind; for it was deemed an excessive hardship for a person to be obliged to go to battle, where there was a probability of his being slain, who had left a new house unfinished; a newly purchased heritage half tilled; or a wife with whom he had just contracted marriage. Homer represents the case of Protesilaus as very afflicting, who was obliged to go to the Trojan war, leaving his wife in the deepest distress, and his house unfinished.

Του δε και αμφιδρυφης αλοχος Φυλακῃ ελελειπτο,

Και δομος ἡμιτελης· τον δ' εκτανε Δαρδανος ανηρ,

Νηος αποθρωσκοντα πολυ πρωτιστον Αχαιων.

ILIAD, 1. ii., ver. 100.

"A wife he left,

To rend in Phylace her bleeding cheeks,

And an unfinish'd mansion: first he died

Of all the Greeks; for as he leap'd to land,

Long ere the rest, a Dardan struck him dead."

COWPER.